Electrophotographic image forming devices (“EP devices”), such as photocopiers, laser printers, and facsimile machines, may employ the use of removable toner cartridge assemblies. Such cartridge assemblies are removable because the serviceable lifetime of certain cartridge components is often shorter than the serviceable lifetime of the EP device that the cartridge supplies. Cartridge assemblies for these image forming devices often include a photoconductive drum and a developer housing located adjacent to the photoconductive drum for the purpose of providing toner. The toner is often housed in a molded plastic reservoir. The cartridge assembly also may include a toner adder roller, a charge roller, a doctor blade, and a gear train that mates to a set of gears in the EP device. The gears are used, among other things, to drive the photoconductive drum in conjunction with the toner adder roller. A waste toner reservoir may also be attached to one side of the cartridge. Toner cartridges may be supplied to a user in a conventional all inclusive assembly or in a separable multi-part assembly.
In recent years, the size of the image forming device has become a significant issue. For instance, with regard to laser printers, demands of desk space in the digital office have dictated the reduction in size of the printers. Size restrictions, both in regard to desktop space, and in shipping costs have limited the overall size of the corresponding toner cartridge. For this reason, it has become advantageous to both manufacturer and user of the EP device in many cases to split apart the toner storage component of the cartridge from the image forming housing component of the cartridge. Generally, the image forming component of the cartridge contains the photoconductor drum, while the toner storage component of the cartridge contains the toner. These so called two-part toner cartridges provide the user a longer service life of key components of the cartridge, while limiting the space required for toner storage within the image forming device.
For larger office image forming systems, desktop space is not the issue. However, a two-part cartridge can still have various benefits. For instance, the photoconductive drum and toner can be separated, such that if the photoconductor drum section is damaged, toner may be spared. Likewise, if toner usage is great, the photoconductive drum may be used in more than one toner container cycle.
Cartridges of the two-part variety are used today to provide toner to both monochrome and color EP devices. For instance, in color laser printers, the number of cartridges is increased due to the additional toner requirements for producing the large array of colors needed in color image forming print jobs. For example, while monochrome laser printing requires a single cartridge of black toner, a color laser printer will require four cartridges such as a black, magenta, cyan, and yellow.
One problem sometimes encountered in two-piece cartridges relates to damage during shipping. Specifically, movement of the cartridge components during shipping can create cartridge failure. This failure is often associated with breakage of the cartridge housing and massive toner leakage. Such failure can ultimately deem the shipped cartridge unusable by the user. Obviously, this creates additional cost for the manufacturer relating to replacement of the damaged cartridge, as well as delay in delivering a usable cartridge to the user.
Several options have been contemplated for minimizing movement of components of the two-piece cartridge. One option relates to including additional packing material around the cartridge. However, packaging methods that add bulk, such as adding cushioning to the shipping material, are not desirable due to the significant added cost of the shipping material and the relatively insignificant improvement of such methods. Likewise, additional holding methods of conventional packaging materials such as cardboard, STYROFOAM blocks, plastic shipping trays, and the like, are not feasible due to their relative ineffectiveness in preventing movement and subsequent breaks in the cartridges during shipping. Furthermore, additional packaging bulk material creates greater complexity and frustration for the end user to remove the material and dispose of the same.
Accordingly, the need exists for a device and method for minimizing cartridge damage during movement of the cartridge. The device would allow for simple assembly by an individual or machine and disassembly by the end-user. The device would be relatively easy to form and low cost.